Everyone loves that cosy feeling of getting wrapped up in a soft sweater in front of the fireplace with a hot drink on a cold winter night; well! Having an Irish baked scone or enjoying your favourite sandwich on Irish bread are just other ways to feel the same. Here are 14 mouthwatering recipes that will make your day better.
Classic Irish Soda Bread
Irish Soda Bread is famous for being yeast-free but fluffy on the inside and crunchy on the outside just the same. The addition which results in the puffiness of the bread is using bicarbonate of sodium, known as bread soda in Ireland. The bicarbonate reacts to the buttermilk used in the dough to create the tiny bubbles you see when you slice into the bread and increase its puffiness.
Soda Bread is considered a form of quick bread made using simple and reliable ingredients and methods; every time you make it, it’ll come out just right. You can make Soda Bread in a short amount of time, in comparison to other types of bread that use yeast as the leavening agent.
You can add dried fruit to Soda Bread or even some herbs for great taste and smell. This time, we’ll learn how to make the traditional form of Irish bread together!
Recipe
Cooking Time: 45 minutes.
Ingredients:
2 cups of all-purpose flour.
¾ cup of buttermilk.
2 TBS brown sugar.
3 TBS cold butter, cut into cubes.
2 large eggs at room temperature.
1 teaspoon of baking powder.
1 teaspoon of baking soda.
½ teaspoon salt.
How to make it:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Celsius.
Add the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. Combine them all well together.
Mix the butter into the dry mixture with your hands until you reach a sandy mix.
Mix one egg with the buttermilk in a separate bowl, then add to the flour mix and mix everything together.
Dust a clean surface with flour, add the dough and knead about 8 times.
Shape the dough however you like, in a circle or an oval shape, then place it on a lightly greased baking sheet.
You can use a sharp knife to make a small cross on the top.
Beat the second egg and brush the top of the loaf with it.
Bake for 30 or 35 minutes, until the bread is golden brown.
Prepare your butter because as soon as you cut into this Soda Bread, you wouldn’t be able to stop eating it.
Apple Raisin Bread
English bakers have made raisin bread since the 1960s, but its history goes way back to the 15th century. Back then, raisin bread variations were made in different European countries. Since the 19th century second half, raisin bread became a part of high tea. It was also commonly known as the Bread of Iron since raisins contain a significant amount of iron.
This Apple Raisin Bread is a twist to the traditional raisin bread; the addition of the apples elevates the iron stock of the bread as well as adds to its sweet taste. Let’s get started.
Recipe
Cooking Time: 1 hour plus rising time.
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups of raisins.
1 ½ cups of apples, peeled and diced.
9 cups regular flour.
3 large eggs at room temperature.
2 packs of active dry yeast.
1 ½ cups of warm water.
1 teaspoon of sugar.
1 cup of applesauce.
½ cup of honey.
½ cup of canola oil.
2 teaspoons of salt.
2 TBS of lemon juice.
2 TBS of cornmeal.
1 large beaten egg and sugar to make the glaze.
How to make it:
Add the yeast to ½ cup of water in a small bowl with the sugar, and leave it to the side to form bubbles.
Add the eggs, honey, oil, salt, applesauce, and the remaining water in a large bowl and mix everything well together.
Add the yeast to the eggs and combine well.
Add flour gradually to make a soft dough.
On a floured surface, knead the dough for about 10 minutes until you get a soft and elastic dough.
Grease a large bowl and add the dough, making sure to grease its face as well; cover the bowl and let the dough rise for about an hour until it doubles in size.
Punch the air from the dough, turn it over, and let it rise for 30 minutes.
Mix the apples, the raisins and the lemon juice in a small bowl.
Divide the dough into three parts and knead the same amount of the apple mixture into each dough part.
Shape each part into a round flat ball and place each in a separate round baking tin that was lined with cornmeal.
Cover the bread for an additional hour to rise; in the meantime, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Celsius.
Brush the loaves with beaten eggs and sprinkle sugar over them.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until when you tap the bread; it sounds hollow.
Let cool for five minutes before taking out the tins; eat with a light layer of butter, jam, and, of course, a cup of tea!
Irish Brown Bread
Irish Brown Bread and Soda Bread are commonly baked and loved in Ireland. However, their flavours differ significantly; the nutty flavour of the brown bread is mainly due to using whole wheat flour and has a bit of a savoury taste compared to the sweet taste of the soda bread and its scone-like texture and look.
Many Irish make Irish brown bread using the same recipe as soda bread since they use the same ingredients, such as buttermilk, salt and baking soda. You can add more to the nutty flavour by adding butter to enhance the taste of the wheat flour.
Mix all the dry ingredients well together; the wheat flour, the regular flour, wheat germ, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Add the buttermilk to the dry ingredients, and gather the mixture to form a sticky dough.
If the dough seems dry, add one TBS buttermilk at a time to reach the right consistency.
Turn the dough several times on a lightly floured, clean surface, don’t knead, just enough to put it all together, then shape it into a round circle.
Line the baking tray with parchment paper and put the dough on it.
With a sharp knife, cut slits on top of the bread and make four small holes on each side of the bread, to let the steam out as it bakes.
Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees, then reduce the heat to 375 and bake for 40 minutes.
Take the bread out of the oven and let it cool for about 30 minutes before slicing it. Irish Brown Bread is great to serve immediately or by toasting it first!
Date Pecan Tea Bread
Dates have been at the core of many Middle Eastern and Arabian cuisines for hundreds of years. In today’s modern world, dates have been rediscovered as a healthy alternative to sugar, a healthy snack and a great energy source.
There are many varieties of dates, both fresh and dried; they will all give you the same super benefits. They’re high in fibre and antioxidants to fight diseases. They can be considered an alternative to vitamins and supplements. They will lower cholesterol, promote bone health, are great for your brain, help detoxify your body and help regulate your digestive system. These just to name a few of the benefits of dates.
Mixing dates and pecans results in a nutty, toffee-like taste that is also naturally sweetened from the sugar of the dates. Even though this is called Tea Bread, it’s also still delicious to have with coffee.
Recipe
Cooking Time: 2 hours.
Ingredients:
2 ½ cups dates, chopped.
1 ½ pecans, roughly chopped.
1 ½ teaspoons of baking soda.
1 ¾ cups of regular flour.
1 ¼ cups of sugar.
1 ½ cups of boiling water.
2 TBS of butter, softened.
1 large egg at room temperature.
¼ teaspoon ground cloves.
¼ teaspoon cinnamon.
¼ teaspoon ginger.
¼ teaspoon nutmeg.
2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
How to make it:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Celsius.
In a large bowl, add the baking soda to the boiling water, then place the dates in the water.
Mix the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg in a smaller bowl, then set aside.
In another large bowl, beat the sugar and the butter together until you reach a crumbly texture, then add the vanilla and the egg.
To the butter bowl, alternate adding the flour mixture with the dates until all is combined in the butter bowl.
Add the pecans and stir well into the mixture.
Pour the mixture into a greased bread tin.
Bake for 65 or 75 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean if you insert it.
Cool the tin for 10 minutes before removing the bread and letting it cool completely.
For about four days, you can keep this tasty bread wrapped or in an air-tight container. But I can tell you it won’t last this far!
Rustic Oatmeal Scones
Since the many discoveries of the benefits of oatmeal, it has been increasingly incorporated into diets worldwide. It is used in making soups, overnight energy bowls, combined with sticky dates to make energy balls and used more in baking.
Oatmeal is excellent for digestion, eases constipation, is rich in antioxidants, can aid in weight loss, is good for blood sugar levels and relieves itching and irritation. This recipe will mix in the versatile oatmeal with the lovable biscuit that is the scone.
Recipe
Cooking Time: 40 minutes.
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups of regular flour.
½ cup of whole wheat flour.
½ cup of sugar.
2 cups of quick-cooking oats.
1 cup of yoghurt.
1 cup of dried raisins or blueberries.
¼ cup cold butter, cut into cubes.
3 TBS of milk, fat-free, preferred.
2 teaspoons of baking powder.
1 teaspoon of baking soda.
¾ teaspoon of salt.
Coarse sugar.
How to make it:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Celsius.
In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients; the regular flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Mix in the butter to reach a sandy texture, then add the raisins and oats.
Mix the yoghurt with 1 TBS of milk, then add to the dry mixture.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and gently knead about 10 times.
Divide the dough into two pieces and shape them into 18 cm circles, then cut them each into 8 wedges.
Add parchment paper to the baking tray or use non-sticking baking sheets, lightly greased.
Brush the scones with the remaining 2 TBS of milk, then sprinkle coarse sugar.
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.
Scones are best served warm and with butter and tea!
Easy Potato Rolls
Potato rolls are easy to make and great, just like that, or with a layer of butter or cream cheese. Either way, they are great to make on a quiet Sunday morning as you get about planning for your week. Kids also love to eat it as a snack or as part of their lunch at school! These potato rolls will quickly find their way into your recipe book.
Recipe
Cooking time: 1 hour, 45 minutes.
Ingredients:
1 cup plain mashed potato, warm.
6 ½ cups regular flour.
2/3 cup warm water, plus an additional 2/3 cup, separated.
2/3 cups of sugar.
2 small packages of dry yeast.
2/3 cup of shortening.
2 large eggs at room temperature.
2 ½ teaspoons of salt.
How to make it:
Dissolve the yeast in a small cup with 2/3 cup of warm water.
Add the potatoes, eggs, sugar, 2 cups of flour, salt, 2/3 cup warm water, and the yeast mixture in a large bowl. Combine everything until they’re smooth.
Gradually keep adding flour until you get a soft dough.
Grease a large bowl and add the dough after greasing its top as well.
Let the dough proof in a warm place for an hour.
Punch the air out of the dough, then divide it into three pieces.
On a lightly flour-dusted surface, divide one portion into 15 smaller balls.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Celsius.
Cover the small balls in a greased baking pan to proof for 30 minutes.
Bake the rolls for 20 to 25 minutes.
Repeat with the other parts of the dough.
Get ready because you’ll be making these more times than you think!
Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Scones
Hazelnuts have a deep nutty flavour; most people like incorporating them into dishes rather than eating them raw. The combination of hazelnut and chocolate proved to be most successful with the invention of the spreadable mixture Nutella.
A great source of Omega-3, good for heart health, helps reduce the risk of cancer and is packed with many vitamins such as Thiamin, Copper, Magnesium, vitamin B6, vitamin E, Folate, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.
We’ll learn together a new recipe where hazelnuts and chocolate make magic!
Recipe
Cooking Time: 35 minutes.
Ingredients:
2 cups of regular flour.
1 cup of hazelnuts roughly chopped.
1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips.
¼ cup brown sugar.
½ cup of buttermilk.
½ cup of cold butter, cut into cubes.
1 large egg at room temperature.
1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla.
1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder.
½ teaspoon of baking soda.
½ teaspoon of salt.
How to make it:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Celsius.
Mix the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Start adding and mixing the butter with the flour mixture to reach a sandy texture.
Add the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla in another bowl and whisk well together.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well.
Mix in the hazelnuts and chocolate chips.
Add the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead gently 8 times.
Shape the dough into a 15 cm circle, then cut it into 8 wedges.
Transfer the wedges onto a lightly greased baking sheet.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Scones are served warm, and you’ll devour these!
Cherry-Chip Oat Scones
It’s hard, to sum up the benefits of cherries; they are full of antioxidants such as beta-carotene and rich in vitamins such as C, K and A, minerals, fibres, nutrients, Magnesium, Calcium and Potassium. They are low in calories, which means they can greatly help your diet and help you recover from challenging exercises.
By far, we’ve made different scones recipes; the options are endless. So, by now, you’ve mastered the art of making scones; this one just has a very cherry twist!
Recipe
Cooking Time: 35 minutes.
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups regular flour.
½ cup of oat flour.
½ cup of old-fashioned oats, plus 1 TBS.
1 cup of buttermilk.
1/3 cup of dried cherries, finely chopped.
1/3 cup of mini semisweet chocolate chips.
¼ cup pecans, roasted and finely chopped.
3 TBS of brown sugar.
3 TBS of cold butter, cut into cubes.
1 TBS coarse sugar.
1 teaspoon of baking soda.
1 teaspoon of cream of tartar, substitute with 2 teaspoons of white vinegar or lemon juice.
½ teaspoon of salt.
How to make it:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Celsius.
Add the dry ingredients in a large bowl: flour, oat flour, ½ cup of oats, brown sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Mix everything well together.
Start blending the butter in, better using your hands, to create a sandy mixture.
Add the buttermilk and mix well.
Add the cherries, pecans and chocolate chips and blend them well with the mixture.
Add parchment paper onto the baking sheet and transfer the dough onto it.
Shape the dough into a 15 cm circle, then cut it into 10 wedges, leaving the wedges close together.
Mix 1 TBS of oats with 1 TBS of coarse sugar and sprinkle onto the scones.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.
I bet you already know that scones are best served warm. Enjoy!
Braided Onion-Potato Loaf
Incorporating mashed potatoes into baking recipes can seem mysterious, but potatoes help the baking process. When mixing in the potatoes during cooking, the starch in them sucks all the liquid from the mixture. It keeps holding onto that moisture even during the baking process. This helps make the end result as airy and fluffy as possible.
We’ve made Easy Potato Rolls earlier; this time, I’ll convince you that adding mashed potatoes to your baking is essential!
Recipe
Cooking Time: 50 minutes, plus rising time.
Ingredients:
4 cups of bread flour.
1 cup of warm milk.
3 cups of water.
¼ cup of Parmesan, grated, plus 2 TBS.
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped.
1 pack of active dry yeast.
1 large potato, peeled and cut into cubes.
1 small onion, chopped.
2 large eggs at room temperature.
2 TBS of butter.
1 TBS of honey.
1 ½ teaspoons of salt.
¼ teaspoon black pepper.
How to make it (It’s better to use a kitchen machine to make this dough):
Add the potato and the onion to a small pot and cover them with water to cook. When the water boils, lower the heat and let them cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
Drain the vegetables and mash them together.
Add flour and yeast first to prepare your kitchen machine with the dough spoon.
Follow with the warm milk; when it’s well incorporated, add the egg, mashed potato, butter, cheese and honey.
Season with salt and pepper, and add the parsley.
Make sure to keep checking the dough and add flour or water if needed. Usually, the dough will only take 5 minutes.
Turn the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead once, then divide into three parts.
Roll each part into a 45 cm rope, transfer them onto a greased baking sheet and braid them. Pinch the ends together to stick them and tuck them under the dough.
Cover the braid and let it proof for about 1 hour in a warm place. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Celsius.
Beat 1 egg, brush the braid with it, sprinkle some cheese, and bake for 25 to 35 minutes until golden brown.
Let the bread cool down before cutting it!
Mincemeat Filled Braid
The mincemeat we’ve seen is a mixture of spiced dried fruit that can sometimes be soaked in liquor. We know that fresh fruit is healthy and beneficial to us, but it turns out that dried fruit is also highly nutritious. While one piece of dried fruit has the same amount of nutrients as the fresh one, you can get packs of these dried fruits all in one, hence multiplying the benefits. To look at it another way, dried fruit contains 3.5 times more fibre, minerals and vitamins than fresh fruit!
So, how about we get to this new recipe filled with tons of goodness that is good for you?
Recipe
Cooking Time: 1 hour, plus rising time.
Ingredients for the braid:
3 ½ cups of bread flour.
1 cup of warm water.
¼ cup of butter softened.
¼ cup of sugar.
1 large egg at room temperature.
1 pack of dry yeast.
3 TBS of buttermilk powder.
1 teaspoon of salt.
¼ teaspoon of baking soda.
Ingredients for the filling:
1 pack of condensed mincemeat.
1 cup of water.
Ingredients for the icing:
1/3 cup of confectioner’s sugar.
2 teaspoons of water.
1/8 teaspoon of almond extract.
How to make it:
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and set aside.
Mix the egg, butter, sugar, buttermilk powder, salt and baking soda in the mixing bowl with 1 ½ cups of flour. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Gradually add more flour to make a soft dough; it will be sticky.
Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 6 to 8 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
Place the dough in a greased bowl, making sure to grease its top as well. Cover it and let it rise for about an hour until it doubles in size.
In the meantime, prepare the filling: by adding the mincemeat and the water into a saucepan and bring them to a boil. Reduce the heat and let the mincemeat cook for 20 to 25 minutes until it thickens. Turn off the heat and let it cool.
Back to the dough, punch the air out and divide it into three parts.
Roll each part into a 35 cm by 10 cm rectangle and add the filling into the centre of each part.
Fold the side of each part over the filling and place all three parts, with their seam side down, on a greased baking sheet and braid them. Pinch their ends to seal them and tuck them under.
Cover the braid and let it proof for 1 hour in a warm place.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Celsius.
Bake the braid for 20 to 25 minutes until it’s golden brown.
Remove the braid to a wire rack to cool and make the icing: mix the confectioner’s sugar with the water and almond extract to drizzle over the braid when it’s cooled down.
Garlic-Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Mustard Sauce
Brussels sprouts are not very common in many cuisines worldwide, mainly for their bitter taste or the fact that this little vegetable can give people gas. However, when you cook them right, Brussels sprouts taste great, and you can reap all their benefits.
In addition to having a vital role in battling different types of cancer, such as stomach, kidney and bladder, to name a few, Brussels sprouts are good for your Cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease.
If you love Brussels sprouts or have been thinking about giving them a try, this is an excellent recipe to try.
Recipe
Cooking Time: 20 minutes.
Ingredients:
½ kilo Brussels sprouts, cut in halves.
3 cloves of garlic.
2 TBS olive oil.
½ of heavy whipping cream.
3 TBS of Dijon mustard.
¼ teaspoon white pepper.
1 teaspoon of salt.
How to make it:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Celsius.
Place the Brussels sprouts in the baking tray.
Add the minced garlic to the olive oil, mix well, then drizzle over the Brussels sprouts; you can use your hands to make sure the pieces are all well coated.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until they’re tender, giving them a stir every now and then.
To make the mustard sauce, add the mustard with the cream, salt and pepper in a small saucepan, and cook them for a couple of minutes until the sauce thickens.
Gently drizzle the mustard sauce over the Brussels sprouts when out of the oven, and enjoy such a healthy and mouthwatering snack!
Blueberry Scones
Scones are a favourite biscuit to eat for many people; they are perfect with tea, in the morning or with a slice of butter as a midday brunch. These delicious-in-every-form biscuits allegedly originated in the 1500s in Scotland since the first reference found to them was through the writings of a Scottish poet in 1513. However, throughout history, it was always known that scones were closely tied with England, Scotland and Ireland, regardless of which land of these they came from.
Scones were originally also made using oats, and the dough was shaped as a large round shape and was later cut into 4 or 6 pieces. You can shape your scones in individual circles before baking them; it’s a matter of preference, really.
So, let’s get to know this traditionally favourite biscuit!
Recipe
Cooking Time: 40 minutes.
Ingredients:
4 cups regular flour.
½ cup cold butter, plus 2 TBS.
2 large eggs at room temperature.
6 TBS of sugar.
4 ½ teaspoons of baking powder.
½ teaspoon of salt.
¾ cup milk, plus 2 TBS.
1 ½ cups blueberries, fresh or frozen.
How to make it:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Celsius.
In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar and mix well.
Try to mix in the butter until the texture is sandy.
Whisk the eggs and ¾ cup of milk together, then add to the flour mixture and mix well.
On a lightly floured surface, add the dough and knead gently while adding the blueberries.
Divide the dough into two, shape each half into a 20CMs circle, then cut into 8 pieces.
Place the pieces on a greased baking sheet and bake them for 15 to 20 minutes until the surface is golden brown.
Prepare your butter and cup of tea; these beauties are served warm!
Lemon Roasted Fingerlings and Brussels Sprouts
Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts have many benefits for you. Away from that, they taste well together; roasting them in the oven, roasting vegetables in general, are always a great addition to any gathering. It is also a great way to cut back on carbs and is very good for your diet in general.
These delicious roasted potato fingerlings and Brussels sprouts are amazing to snack on as well! Let’s find out how to make them together.
Recipe
Cooking Time: 40 minutes.
Ingredients:
½ kilo Brussels sprouts, cut in halves and trimmed.
Put the potatoes and Brussels sprouts in the baking tray, drizzle 2 TBS of the olive oil, then season them with ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper. Toss the vegetables together to make sure they’re all well coated.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring them once in the oven.
In a small bowl, add the lemon juice with the honey, mustard, garlic and the remaining oil and salt and blend them well together.
Put the vegetables in a large bowl, drizzle with the vinaigrette and serve them while they’re still warm. The sauce tastes even yummy that way!
Browned Butter Roasted Cauliflower
Cauliflower is a versatile vegetable that can easily be incorporated into your diet. In addition to being a healthy alternative to legumes and grains, for containing way less carbs, cauliflower is rich in fibre, antioxidants and will help in weight loss as well.
There are many ways to incorporate cauliflower into your diet, whether you’d like to ground them and use them as a substitute for rice, make a pizza crust, use it as a great and filling snack or even use it in soups. The options are endless.
Let’s get back to our recipe, shall we?
Recipe
Cooking Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes.
Ingredients:
1 medium-sized cauliflower head, cut into florets.
3 TBS of unsalted butter.
6 cloves of garlic, with the peel.
¼ cup parsley, chopped.
1 TBS capers roughly chopped.
2 teaspoons of lemon juice.
¼ teaspoon of salt.
¼ teaspoon of black pepper.
¼ cup of golden raisins, optional.
How to make it:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Celsius.
Wrap the garlic cloves, unpeeled, in foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until they’ve softened.
Remove the garlic and let it cool, then squeeze the garlic out of its peel and mash using a fork.
To brown the butter, add it to a small saucepan, let it melt and cook it for 5 to 7 minutes or until it’s golden brown, all while stirring. When the butter browns, take it off the heat.
In a baking tray, place the cauliflower florets and drizzle them with the browned butter, then season them with salt and black pepper and toss the florets together to coat well.
Roast the florets for 15 to 20 minutes until they turn golden brown.
When getting the cauliflower out of the oven, transfer the florets into a large bowl, add the garlic mixture and the remaining ingredients, toss everything together to coat, and enjoy!
Have you ever tried any of these recipes before? I’d love to know which recipe you tried and how it turned out! Do share your experience and tips with me!
Nouran Ashraf 
Salma Ihab